Hold My Hand
by BryceWrites
Summary: One Shot - Benny's back from Purgatory and he's on the hunt for the Old Man. But his old stomping grounds are empty. He goes to the only place he can think of for information. But when Benny sees the wall of donors at the Blood Bar, he knows he has to help one of them. So he does the only thing he can think of; He buys her.


Long one shot I wrote up. Hopefully it's not bad. I don't usually write one shots and am actually considering turning this into a story if it fares well with an audience. So good, bad or ugly, tell me what you think. The title comes from the song 'Bottom of the River' by Delta Rae. For some reason, it makes me think of Benny.

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><p>I had gotten back in my groove after getting out of Purgatory. I'd already sworn off live blood when I'd met Andrea, long before Purgatory. The problem with being back in the real world was the thirst. In Purgatory, it didn't bother me. I hadn't drank blood; living or donated in years. But being back here was harder than I'd thought.<p>

But I managed. I found a guy that could get me donated blood under the table. It wasn't ideal, but I'd heard of the vamps that went off cow's blood or other animal blood. To tell ya the truth, I'd take the bagged stuff any day over the stories I heard out of those guys.

When I came back, I told myself I'd find the Old Man and finish him the way he finished me. I'd gone to the docks where our old hunting grounds used to be, but I didn't find anything. They'd up and moved years ago. So now I had a dilemma. I needed information. And as much as I hated myself for doing it, I knew I had to go to the Blood Bar.

The Blood Bar was in an old Speakeasy from the 20s. The police had long ago forgotten about it and with it being under several other buildings, most humans didn't know it was there. The décor was more elaborate than I would have cared for; Silk curtains in dark red, the walls black and red, the furnishings a mix from everything from the 20s to now.

If anybody knew where the Old Man was, this was the place to come. And I had to fit in, I reminded myself. I sat down at the bar and the bartender made his way to me. "What can I get you?" He asked, his accent obviously not from these parts.

"O+." I told him, trying to look passive.

"O+. Coming right up." He told me.

I knew vamps that would come in here and order AB- just to make a show. And don't get me wrong; my favorite was definitely B-, but considering how many people had B- blood compared to how many had O+, I was safer blending in. Nobody would remember the guy that ordered the most popular drink.

I saw the bartender walk over to a wall of scantily clad girls. There was a wall of guys on the other side of the room. The girls were pretty, all between the ages of sixteen or seventeen and thirty-five. Some vamps requested a more mature donor. Personally, I liked mine younger. Not too young, of course, because then you get that bitter taste of resentment floating around in your mouth. My vintage of choice would be B- from a twenty-one year old, but they always remembered the picky guy.

The bartender put a blood syphon on one of the girls that looked to be around the age my preferred vintage. None of the vamps were allowed to drink from a donor, because that would make them a familiar and you couldn't run a Blood Bar on familiars. So the bartenders pushed a kind of syphon into the girls or boys arm and the blood would run into a glass.

Each girl or boy was allowed to give four glasses a night, two from each arm before they were taken back into a storage room. I didn't know what the backs of them looked like. I just knew a guy who had a Blood Bar in the 40s around Chicago.

"O+." The barkeep said, setting the glass on the bar top in front of me.

"I was also wondering if I could get a little help. I'm looking for an old friend." I told him, nonchalantly pulling a fifty dollar bill out of my pocket and laying it on the bar top.

"I might be of some service." He said, discreetly slipping it into his vest.

"There used to be a vamp over by the docks. Used to be called The Old Man. Got turned young." I said, taking a small sip from the glass. I hated how much I enjoyed the liquid coating my throat.

The barkeep nodded. "I was told he moved to Boston. Somebody said he got into some trouble around these parts and up and left."

I nodded. "I appreciate that." I said, lifting my glass a little. "And I was wondering too," I said, just before he turned away. "How much for the vintage you pulled my glass from?" The fact we had to call the humans a 'vintage' in this place upset me. They shouldn't be living like this, in a rat infested club. But people bought the blood bar kids all the time to make familiars with.

The bartender glanced back over at the wall of girls. "I'll have to check with the manager, but I think that one is on sale. She can be a handful." He said, glancing at me to gauge my reaction.

I smirked a bit. "I enjoy a familiar with a little fight in her."

The barkeep nodded. "I'll check on that for you." And off we went, around the back of the bar that probably held an office.

I glanced back over at the girl. All the other girls looked miserable, as if they hated being here and I was quite sure they did. But this one looked stronger. Her face was blank and she moved every once in a while, the way they told the donors to move. She was trying to make a good show to get out of the bar. She was a smart girl.

A business man came around the bar and the bartender went back to his job. "My bartender says you'd like to buy one of our vintages." He said with a smile.

I smiled back a little bit. "Yes, sir. I was looking at the brunette in the blue and black lace." I said, gesturing loosely to the wall as I took another sip from my glass.

"She's actually on sale this week. But I've got to warn you; she's got a little of fight in her." The manager said, sound wary.

I smiled at him. "Gotta love a girl with a little fight."

This seemed to relax the manager. "She's a hundred bucks this week."

I pulled the wallet I'd pick-pocketed out of my jacket pocket and slid a hundred dollar bill onto the counter. "I'd like her to get dressed. Can't walk the streets in her night things." I said with a smile as the manager nodded and rushed off.

Ten minutes later, she came out from the back of the bar, dressed in a black cocktail dress that fit every curve of her body. Despite my feelings about her being a blood donor, I had to admit she looked good in that dress.

"Here you are, sir. Her name's Scarlett despite the blue, but I'm sure you could call her anything you'd like." The managed said with a smile.

I took a moment to evaluate her only because the manager would be expecting me to. "Scarlett." I said, tipping my hat to her a little bit.

"I don't have the pleasure of knowing what to address you as." She said, her eyes trained on the floor.

Oh. She was good. _How had somebody not bought her before this time?_ Then I chastised myself. _Because the bad guys don't always have to win._ I smiled at her though, for the show of it. "You can call me Benny."

"Thank you, Mister Benny." She said, eyes still trained on the floor. I remembered how the Old Man had a familiar once and it wasn't allowed to look him in the eye unless he requested it.

I nodded in mock approval. "She's gorgeous." I told the manager.

He nodded. "We try to take very good care of our donors here."

"I appreciate it." I said to him, setting my glass on the bar and taking her hand, leading her out of the bar.

She shivered when the cool breeze hit her exposed skin, which was pretty much everywhere. I shrugged out of my jacket and put it around her shoulders. "Scarlett is a pretty name, darlin'." I told her.

She nodded. "Thank you for the jacket, Mister Benny."

"Please just call me Benny." I told her, taking her hand again and leading her down the road to where I parked the truck.

"Yes sir." She said with another nod.

When we got to the truck, I stopped her. I put my finger under her chin and lifted, so I could see her eyes. They were brown; the kind of rich brown that reminded me of melted chocolate before you dipped strawberries. "How old are you?" I asked her.

She tried to duck her head away from my gaze, but I wanted her to look at me. "They tell me I'm twenty-two."

"You don't know?" I asked.

She shrugged lightly. "We don't have birthdays anymore. I forget." She said, obviously trying to play the whole thing down.

"Are you tired?" I asked, hearing her heart beat a little unsteady.

She was quick to shake her head.

Hmmm… this was going to be harder than I thought. "I'm not going to hurt you." I told her.

"Of course not. What a silly thing to say." She said with a forced smile.

"You're afraid of me." I told her.

I could see the fear make her eyes grow a little bigger and her heart speed up a beat. "What? No. No, of course not. I'm just grateful to be in your employ." She told me, ducking her head again.

Much harder than I thought. I stepped over to the truck and opened the door, holding out a hand to help her in.

She took my hand and I guided her into the cab before closing the door. I got in the driver's side and drove for a while in silence. She said nothing and made no move to jump free of the truck, despite the fact the doors were unlocked. She had just wanted away from the bar.

"How old were you?" I asked, breaking a twenty mile silence.

"I beg your pardon?" She asked.

"When they took you." I said, remembering the stories that came out of the Blood Bars. Some were orphans or taken off the street. But some were stolen out of houses, and taken from their families.

"I was twelve when I came to the employ of the Maker. I was informed my blood was of the highest quality and that I would one day feed many a vampire from the bar." She said professionally.

It reminded me of a work interview. I hadn't had one, but I'd seen one on the TV recently. "And when did they put you in the bar?"

"I've been in the employ of the bar workers since my fifteenth birthday." She said, always keeping her eyes forward.

Almost half her life, she'd been surrounded by vampires. "They told me you have some fight in you. I'm not pickin' up on it, darlin'." I told her, hoping to rile her a little.

"If you'd enjoy a bit of fight in your company, I'll be more than happy to give you what you wish." She told me.

I sighed. I couldn't take it anymore. Each word from her mouth was like a slice to my throat. I pulled over onto the side of the road, turning the engine off and flicking off the headlights. I turned to her, hoping she'd look at me. But she didn't. "I didn't buy you to make you some kind of familiar slave." I told her.

I could see her body tense up. I could see the want she had to ask why, but I knew she was instructed to not ask questions.

"I bought you to get you out of that bar." I told her, reaching across her and opening the door. "So if you want to go, then go."

I could see panic in her features and I could smell her fear. "I-I-I don't want to leave." She said, stumbling over her words.

I took her chin strongly in my hand and made her look at me. "I do not want to hurt ya, darlin'. I was there for information. I don't even drink live blood anymore."

"B-b-but you drank from me. You were my first glass of the night." She said, her fear deepening.

"Can't rightly sneak into a bar and kill everyone who is supposed to be tellin' me things." I said with a smirk. "Had to blend in."

"I don't understand." She said and I could see the confusion in her brown eyes.

I smiled at her. "You're too beautiful a girl to be a donor so young in life. If you want to get out, that's fine darlin'. If you want to ride with me to the next town, I'd welcome the company. But I ain't gon' make you do nothin' you don't want."

I saw her swallow and her throat move. She still smelled of fear. "I don't take jokes very well, Benny."

"Darlin', a joke is when someone tells you something funny and you laugh. I don't rightly see neither of us laughin'." I told her.

"Are you serious?" She asked and I saw the horror on her face as she realized she broke the code of conduct for familiars. "I apologize. I'll take my punishment as deemed fit."

For some reason I couldn't put my finger on, she seemed cute when she was scared. I reached across her and closed the door. I started up the engine and turned the headlights back on. "I'll drive ya into town. We'll pick you up some less attractive clothes and I'll give you money for a bus ride."

"I don't understand what's going on." She said quietly.

"I've tried to explain myself at least three times now. I know for a fact you ain't stupid." I told her.

"Of course not. Stupid girls aren't chosen to be in any employ." She said.

I shook my head, wondering how I could get her out of this mindset. I flipped on the radio to a song about murky water and wolves in a forest. We continued our drive until we got to a motel on the outskirts of town. I climbed out, knowing with her attitude; she'd still be in the truck when I got back. And if she wasn't, I didn't have a problem with that either.

I bought us a room with two single beds and when I climbed back into the cab, she still sat there, looking out the window at the neon. I pulled the truck around to park in front of the room and I climbed out. I went around, opened her door and guided her out of the truck. She followed me to the door and I unlocked it, holding it open for her.

She quietly said thank you as she entered, but I could almost feel her confusion when she noticed the two beds.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, remembering humans needed real food.

She shook her head no, but I felt her heart sped up. She was lying.

I pulled twenty dollars out of the wallet that wasn't mine. "Here's twenty dollars, darlin'. There's a burger joint just across the road. Go and get ya somethin'." I told her.

"You're not coming with me?" She asked with hesitation.

I smiled at her. "No darlin'. I believe you can manage just fine on your own."

She nodded quickly, leaving the room. I didn't expect her to come back, honestly. I'd heard of familiars that left and their vamps didn't know for an entire day. I wouldn't chase after her, there'd be no point.

But not ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. I stood and answered it, standing away from the wood so she could enter the room. "Forgive me. I didn't have a key." She said, carrying a take-out bag. She pulled the change out of the pocket of my jacket that she still wore and handed it back to me. I took it and set it on the dresser.

She pulled off the jacket and handed it back to me as well, which I hung on the chair. "Thank you for dinner." She said, opening the bag and pulling out a chef salad and a container of ranch dressing.

I chuckled. "No burger?"

Her hesitant actions made me smile. "Is that what you'd have preferred?"

I smiled, shaking my head. "I didn't mean nothin' by it, darlin'."

With this, she poured the ranch on her salad and started eating. When she finished, she threw the containers in the trash and sat back on the bed. I sat on my bed and lounged back lazily.

"Is there anything I can be of assistance with?" She said.

"Scarlett, there is actually one thing." I said, looking over at her.

She moved to face me.

"You can stop actin' like you're doin' a job and act like I'm a friend." I told her.

Her gaze peaked up barely enough so I could see some of her eyes before she looked back at the floor again. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

I stood up and held my hand out to her. She took it and I couldn't help looking her over. Lord, she was good looking in that dress. "If I gave you three options right now; Kiss me, leave with no consequences, or sit on the bed and do nothin', what would you do?" I asked.

"I'd do whichever you'd prefer of me." She said, feeling hesitant still.

"No, darlin'. You're missing the point. I'm asking what you'd rather pick." I told her, making her look at me.

She shrugged, obviously not wanting to tell me the truth.

I leaned down, so that my lips barely brushed her ear. "Tell me darlin'."

I could hear her heart speed up rapidly. "Kiss you or run." She said, just barely louder than I had.

"Which do you want to do more?" I whispered.

"Either. Both. I don't know." She said, breathily.

I pulled away from her and smiled. "That wasn't so hard darlin'." I told her, running my thumb over her cheek. She looked like she wanted to ask me something, but I knew she was still worried. "Ask. I don't care what it is as long as there's a question mark at the end."

"Can I kiss you?" She asked shyly.

I smirked at her a little. "Why would you wanna do that?"

She started wringing out her hands like a wet cloth. "I've never kissed a man before. I've had sex with the bar manager and the bartenders. But I've never kissed a man."

I couldn't help but smile at her. "What kind of kiss, darlin'?"

She took a shy look at me, still wringing her hands. "A gentle one, maybe. I-I-I don't like it when the bartenders are rough." She said.

I leaned down, my finger under her chin and just barely laid my lips against hers. I saw her eyes slip closed and I gently moved my lips against hers. She moaned into the kiss and I got the feeling she was used to the tough side of the business.

Her arms slipped around my neck as she tried to get closer to me. I set my hands on her hips and pulled her against me. She gently pulled her lips away from mine, breathing deeply. "That was…" She trailed off, obviously not knowing what words to use.

"Better or worse than you'd hoped?" I asked.

"Better. Much better." She said, still avoiding my gaze.

"Tell me what you want." I said. I didn't make her look at me. If she didn't want to, I wasn't going to make her this time.

Her eyes slowly moved up to meet mine. "Really?" She asked, still hesitant after all this time.

"Anythin', darlin'." I told her.

She blushed a little, the blood flowing up to make her pale cheeks tinged with pink.

I leaned down again, kissing her soft lips. She moved against me instantly, pulling me closer. I picked her up and moved to the bed. I laid her down, my hand behind my head. Our hands moved all over each other, but we just kissed. She laid on my chest and it was hard to conceal how much I wanted her. I hadn't been with a woman since before Purgatory and boy; it'd been a long time.

"What do you want?" She asked, looking up at me with those big brown eyes.

I hesitated, not wanting to sway her. "I ain't gon' lie; I want ya bad darlin'. But I ain't gon' make you do nothin' you don't already want."

"What if I want you too?" She asked quietly before looking back up at me.

"Then that'd be just fine." I told her, meeting her lips again.

She went to work at my belt and trousers with a skill I hadn't yet seen. She paused when my boxers released my lower half. "Benny… You're huge." She said, glancing at me.

Well, I'd certainly never heard that before.

But she ran her hands over it slowly and I leaned my head back, closing my eyes. Her hands were so soft as they moved over my skin. And when I felt her mouth around me, I gasped, looking down at her.

She looked up at me as she teased me with her mouth, sucking, swirling her tongue, nibbling just barely.

"Oh, sugah." I said, surprised there was enough oxygen in my lungs for the two words. "Oh, sugah."

She teased and pleased me for another set of minutes before I could take it anymore. As quickly as I could without hurting her, I ripped off her dress and tossed it across the room. Her blue and black lace under garments came next. And my Lord, was she a sight without anything holding her back.

I moved so I was above her and was about to start, when she stopped me.

There was a pleading look in her eyes. "Can… can you be gentle with me?" She asked quietly.

I leaned down to kiss her softly. "As gentle as I can be darlin'. Tell me if I'm otherwise."

She nodded and I kissed her again, tenderly biting her lip as I slid into her. She gasped and pulled me closer. I sat there for just a moment and she breathed against my ear. "Oh Benny." She said, pulling me as close as I could get.

"Ya like that sugah?" I asked, slowly moving in and out.

She threw her head back and grabbed the sheets in response. I couldn't help it, she felt so amazing surrounding me, and I started to speed up. I didn't even notice until her hands gripped my shoulders and I looked down at her. "A-a-a little too fast." She said.

I growled in pleasure. "I'm so sorry darlin'." I told her, kissing her lips before moving to her neck, shoulder and collar bone.

I moved slowly back and forth, making her moan my name. Oh, it made me hard hearing her moan my name; despite how badly I wanted to throw myself into her as hard as I could.

To compromise our situation, I'd stay slow for her, then ram into her hard just once. She moaned and I didn't think she had too many objections to this. After a few more minutes, I could feel her tighten up around me.

"Oh Benny. Oooh Benny." She moaned.

I knew she was close and briefly wondered whether any of her past partners let her get this far. I went slowly for a set of minutes before I rammed into her again and she just got tighter and tighter around me.

"Benny?" She asked, her voice started to become hoarse.

"Yes darlin'." I said, my own voice gruffer than normal.

"Will you bite me when I come?" She asked.

I looked down at her. Normally, I would have said no right off the bat. I drank blood; not humans. But when she looked at me, she wanted it. She wanted it badly. Her pleasure was teeth against her skin and a hard dick in her pussy. "Are ya sure, sugah?"

"Yes. Yes please." She begged and I couldn't say no to her pleading with me.

"Alright. Right before you come." I told her, gently pushing in and pulling out.

"Ram into me. Ram into me and I'll come for you." She said, her voice sending shivers up my spine.

I bent over her neck and just as I rammed into her and felt her tighten against my dick, I bite into her neck, filling my mouth with her rich life blood. She came to a screaming orgasm that I'm sure the room next to us heard clearly. And between the blood in my mouth and her orgasm around my dick, I came inside her, licking the blood off her neck.

She laid there limp as I pulled out and laid next to her. I licked my lips, making sure there wasn't any blood she could see. "How was that?" I asked her, my voice much deeper than it normally was.

"Like heaven." She said, her eyes slipping closed.

I kissed her on the lips and her arms wound around my neck. "Thank ya darlin'."

She smiled as I pulled away. "That was the best sex I've ever had. Thank you."

Maybe I'd keep her around after all…

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><p>Andddd that's the end. So. What'd you think? Let me know!<p> 


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